It was not yet high summer but the sun was strong and bright. Henry walked along the path, keeping his eyes fixed on the ground scanning from one side of the path to the other. The trees had shed their spring blossoms and petals were trodden flat into the ground everywhere he looked. It didn’t make the search any easier, but he continued on. The gaps between sunlight and shadow became strangely even, and as he walked with his long, lazy strides the light flickered steadily in the corner of his eyes.This won’t do he thought and ducked into the shade of a hedgerow, letting his eyes re-adjust to the relative darkness. He watched as the black gave way to finer details. Tiny white buds were just visible woven among the hawthorn: Rosa Canina, Dog Rose. Naming it gave him some satisfaction at least. Another week or so and they would be in flower and he would be back to the books. He checked his watch. 11.03. He’d been walking for little more than forty minutes but already the tedium of the search was distorting time. His stomach rumbled, anticipating a lunch that was still several hours off. Shielding his eyes with his arm he stepped back into the light and continued on his way.